Outdoor security system / Blink

chrishf12

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Prime has a deal on their Blink outdoor cameras today. I have been entertaining picking one up but not sure I want to pay a subscription fee.

Does anyone have any feedback?
Any other systems I should look into?
 
No subscription fee to blink. I have 2 of their cameras supplementing my CPI security cameras. They are decent, nighttime video could be better but I have motion lights so that helps a lot.
 
I believe the new blink cameras have a subscription fee for cloud storage. Read the description on amazon and see if they also allow you to use a sd card to keep videos stored on that.
 
Doing some reading the older xt2 cameras have free cloud storage. The new cameras has a subscription fee for cloud storage or a option to use a usb drive for local storage.
 
I just learned the other day that new Blink accounts do have a storage subscription fee. If you have an account created prior to April 2020, you’re grandfathered in.

I have a Blink system and am happy with it. There is a bit of lag to retrieve video from the cloud and it’s even slower to view live video when off my network. I don’t think there is a better system for the money.
 
I have a couple. I like that they’re completely wireless (battery powered) and quite reasonably priced. But, they’re nothing like the more expensive cameras from Nest.
 
I’ve got the Reolink cameras that I ordered off amazon. You can watch live video on your phone and it auto stores any movement into a micro SD, mine is solar powered so no wiring into house electrical. It also has sound and a talk function.
 
Blink accounts created before April are free. But only work with legacy indoor camera. After that date, you can get service for 1 camera for $30/year. Unlimited cameras for $100/year.
 
I have somewhere around 14 of the Blink XT, XT2, and mini cameras set up on 3 different Blink modules, 2 of the older ones and one of the Sync Module 2s that has the option to use a USB stick for a recording set up, two are exterior cameras and one is for inside the house. I've had them for a couple of years now and these are my thoughts:

The Blink cameras represent a pretty good value. The ability to place them where ever you want is one of the biggest draws.

You need decent WiFi to run them, I'm using a Google WiFi mesh and my farthest camera is located inside my shed about 250' from the nearest router without issue.

Cameras in "high traffic areas" are going to burn through batteries. Cameras in low traffic areas live up to the reported battery life. You can run alkaline batteries but it's not worth it.

The biggest issue with them is the "reset" time. If it detects motion and it stops, there's a delay in another recording. Thus adding multiple cameras.

You can get different mounts that provide more flexibility in mounting, don't get the ones that the case screws together, they are a giant PITA to swap batteries.

The ability to divide them into different systems is nice, I disarm the interior cameras when we are home and turn them off when we are gone.

This winter I will probably run a USB hub in the attic to power some of the high traffic areas to decrease the amount of lithium batteries I'm using. I've not tired to use rechargable ones yet. Connecting them to USB does improve their ability to record longer I believe.

I've not had any issues with them being exposed to the elements or other longevity issues with them, I've accidentally hit a couple with the pressure washer and dropped them trying to change the batteries.
 
I’ve got the Reolink cameras that I ordered off amazon. You can watch live video on your phone and it auto stores any movement into a micro SD, mine is solar powered so no wiring into house electrical. It also has sound and a talk function.

do these have an alert feature if motion is detected?
 
@NCMedic do you use the subscription service? Have you tried the local usb storage feature?

I use local USB storage on the system inside the house without issue. I've had my cameras long enough to be grandfathered in and not use the subscription service. I just download any clips I want to save.
 
do these have an alert feature if motion is detected?
Yes. It sends an alert to my phone through an app. I can set timeframes so the ones at my office don’t go off from 6am to 5pm. This is the cameras I have.

Outdoor Security Camera System Wireless, Solar Battery Powered, 1080p Wirefree Waterproof 2-Way Audio Night Vision w/ PIR Motion Sensor, Support Alexa/Google Assistant/Local SD, Argus Eco+Solar Panel https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07R5YH7YN/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_z4SHFbVRPGBY5
 
One other important thing to consider with any of these wireless systems, like Blink or whomever is no internet, no cameras.
I have my modem, router, and the sync modules connected to a UPS as a backup.

Just food for thought.
 
I ended up not buying a kit this time around. The 3 camera kits sold out before the end of the second Prime day.

Very good point on the UPS and local storage. That has been my argument against the wireless security systems all along. With no internet they can't call out unless you have a land line. Too easy to snip the cable line on the side of the house.
 
One other important thing to consider with any of these wireless systems, like Blink or whomever is no internet, no cameras.
I have my modem, router, and the sync modules connected to a UPS as a backup.

Just food for thought.
The ones I listed above have SD slots so it is saved there if you don’t have internet.
 
My fiber line was a simple exposed loop in my exterior wall; I finagled a steel lock box over it to reduce that possibility.
Not that it would stop someone from cutting your line, but a camera aimed at the line’s entry point might capture the person’s face before he did the deed.
 
The ReoLink works great. Caught a couple theifs today because of it. He stole an old orbital sander out of my carport she just looked around. Got some got video to give to the cops and was able to run them off through the microphone on the camera. If they look familiar please let me know I’d love to speak with them.

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@DCGallim did you ever catch them?

I picked up 2 Reolink cameras around Christmas and have really been enjoying them. They held charge for 2.5 months before I decided it was time to recharge.
 
@DCGallim did you ever catch them?

I picked up 2 Reolink cameras around Christmas and have really been enjoying them. They held charge for 2.5 months before I decided it was time to recharge.
They did get arrested, I never got names or know if they were actually punished but some amount of justice was served.
 
I have multiple Blink outdoor cams.
My only complaint is the motion sense isn't very far from the camera. For instance, putting a cam on a pole, say 12' up, the motion sense distance is greatly reduced.

The maximum motion detection range is approximately 20 feet for all blink cameras. Some factors that influence motion detection are the app sensitivity setting, camera placement, object size, infrared illumination and object temperature.


I have most of them on USB power.
No local storage on them AFAIK.
 
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Ive got a couple blinks.... they do a good job and the battery lasts a long time (year +)
 
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